Pass Fire Update - June 21, 2023

Acres: 50,090                                                                                                     

Start Date: May 18, 2023

Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM                                                                                                   

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 13%                                                                                                   

Fuels: Timber, pinon/juniper and grass

Personnel: 54

As of last week, the Pass Fire has continued a steady, slow to moderate movement and is now sized at 50,090 acres. Warmer, drier conditions caused the Pass Fire to pick up momentum on June 15, but then slowed again. Yesterday’s reconnaissance flight showed minimal fire growth. Fire crews are focusing on the south and west sides, working to keep the fire north of the Middle Fork of the Gila and east of Meadow Trail (53). Isolated smoke columns are visible within the fire perimeter.

The overall strategy on the Pass Fire is to allow the low to moderate intensity of the fire to play its natural role on the landscape as firefighters take appropriate actions to keep the fire within the designated planned boundaries while protecting private land, infrastructure, and natural resources. Firefighters are continually assessing the movement of the Pass Fire to confine and contain it using existing trails, roads, and natural elements as control features. The Pass Fire is being monitored by air and ground resources. Fuel or vegetation moisture samples are taken daily to help firefighters predict expected fire behavior and rates of spread.

Although fuel moisture has been higher than usual due to spring rains and past winter moisture received, as temperatures increase, vegetation will become drier, causing fire activity to increase and making smoke more visible.

The Gila National Forest is a fire-adapted ecosystem. It is dependent on fire to play a natural role in restoring the landscape and wildlife to more natural conditions while preventing the occurrence of more extreme fires in the future.

Forest visitors are asked to avoid active fire areas and are reminded to use caution. There are currently no closures in place.

Weather: Sunny, with highs around 82. West winds from 10-16 mph, with gusts to around 30 mph this afternoon.

Aviation Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is still in place over the Pass Fire. All non-fire aircraft are restricted. This includes civilian drones. Unauthorized aircraft in the area will ground firefighting aircraft, hindering firefighting efforts. If you fly, we can’t.

For More Information:

• Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-pass-fire Inciweb is the official site for fire information. This site is secure and updated daily.
• New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/
• Air Quality: https://www.airnow.gov

If conditions permit, prescribed burning operations will occur along the Crabtree Road between Cold Springs and Pinecrest for the next three days (June 21st- June 23rd). Crabtree Road will be closed from Highway 108 to the intersection of Forest Road 4N11/4N26 to protect the safety of firefighters and the public during prescribed burn operations.

Communities of Cold Springs, Pinecrest, and Strawberry are expected to experience unhealthy to very unhealthy air quality conditions. The smoke will likely lift during the day, but may resettle after nightfall.

We will provide an update once Crabtree Road is safe to re-open.

Northern New Mexico Type 3 Incident Management Team
Luke McLarty, Incident Commander

Fire Information: 505-418-1038
2023.comanche@firenet.gov
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

Upcoming Actions: Tuesday’s firing operations were successful. Fire crews began blacklining and will continue to strengthen the containment line along the focus area the next few days, with the possibility of helicopter aerial ignitions on Wed. or Thu. Fire managers continue to work closely with the meteorologist and specialists to assess conditions daily to ensure successful implementation of a confine and contain strategy for the lightning-caused wildfire.

One of the Carson National Forest’s goals is to work with naturally-caused fire so it can fulfill its ecological role on the landscape scale under conditions where safety and values at risk can be protected.

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Canjilon, Abiquiu, and El Rito. Smoke may impact the communities of Abiquiu, El Rito, Medenales, Hernandez and the Espanola Valley. Temporary smoke monitors have been placed at the El Rito Ranger Station, and at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu. Air quality data is available on the Fire and Smoke Map at fire.airnow.gov, where viewers may track smoke from the fire.

Community Open House: Drop in between 5 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jun. 22, at the El Rito Senior/Community Center at State Rd. 554, House #1115. Presentation at 6 p.m.

Closure: Temporary partial road closures are in effect on Forest Roads 137 and 20.

Fast Facts

Size: 99 acres
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer
Values at risk: Cultural/historical sites.
Percent Completed: 1%
Resources: 4 hand crews, 2 wildland fire modules, 6 engines, 1 dozer, 2 water tender, 2 REMS teams, total personnel 205

June 21, 2023 - The San Jacinto District will be continuing the prescribed burn today on Thomas Mountain at 7am. Residents and visitors will see flames and smoke visible throughout the day and evening.

If you are traveling on California Highway 74 you may experience brief closures due to aerial operations. These closures are to protect both the firefighters involved in the operations and the public using the highway.

During these operations certain areas will be temporarily closed to the public: Forest Road 6S13, Tool Box Springs Yellow Post Sites, Thomas Mountain Yellow Post Sites, and the Ramona Trail. These closures are implemented for the safety of both the public and firefighters involved in the operations.

Prescribed fire plays an important role in forest health and in reducing extreme wildfires and their negative impact. These fires also help reduce heavy fuel loads while simultaneously opening the conifer forest structure and maintaining the health of meadow habitats. Fire is also used to enhance native plant communities and cultural landscapes and improve wildlife habitats. Another goal is to provide defensible space for communities and developed areas within and surrounding the BDF. With all fire comes smoke, and the U.S. Forest Service works to mitigate smoke impacts from prescribed fires on the communities in the area.

#PrescribedBurn #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #thomasmountainprescribedburn

  Spice Lake Fire Fact Sheet: June 21, 2023                   8:00 a.m.

MNICS Team B- Incident Commander Aaron Mielke

Fire Information: 218-248-7240 (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)

Email: 2023.spicelake@firenet.gov

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-news/mnsuf-spice-lake-fire

Superior National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/superior

Date Detected: 6/13/23, Current Size: 22 acres, Containment: 100% 

This will be the last fire fact sheet from MNICS Team B for this fire. It has been turned back to the Superior National Forest for management. The next fact sheet will be issued on Friday, June 23, 2023

Summary: Late in the afternoon on June 13th, a wildfire was detected between Spice Lake and Ogishkemuncie Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) on the Gunflint Ranger District of the Superior National Forest. Spice Lake is located east of Knife and Kekekabic Lakes and southwest of Seagull Lake, approximately 10 miles west of the Gunflint Trail.

Current Status: Fire activity is smoldering in mixed timber and brush. Fire crews continue to patrol the fire and mop up any remaining hot spots on the fire. Mopping up involves putting water on the fire, and using tools to mix it into the soil and duff to extinguish the heat until the area is cooled. Firefighter and public safety are the number one priority. The fire has been initially determined to be human caused and is still under investigation.

Planned Activity: Nine firefighters remain on site at the fire area. They continue to patrol and grid the fire area for smokes and mop up. Gridding is walking through the burned area in an organized pattern to seek out and extinguish pockets of heat and smoke. MNICS Team B has transferred command of the fire back to the Superior National Forest as of 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.

Closure Area: The Superior National Forest will release a new closure order for public safety later this morning for the Spice Lake Fire. Please visit Superior National Forest - Alerts & Notices (usda.gov) for more information or the Superior’s Facebook page.

Fire Restrictions: The Superior National Forest has implemented a Forest Order (09-09-23-02) for campfire restrictions due to continued dry conditions and very high wildfire danger. This Order will remain in effect until further notice. See the Superior National Forest website for more information on fire restrictions.

Business Update: No businesses along the Gunflint Trail have closed due to the fire and are ready to help with trips and services. If you have an upcoming reservation, please contact your guide or cooperator or the Superior National Forest with questions.

Cooperating Agencies: Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department, National Park Service, and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

June 20, 2023 - Evening Update - Operations for today have concluded successfully, to date, there have been 1,342 acres accomplished. Smoke was visible throughout the day, indicating the fire was still actively burning and consuming fuels on the north side.

Firefighters were unable to engage in ignitions on the south side of Thomas Mountain due to unfavorable wind conditions. Instead, they focused their efforts on reinforcing the existing containment lines as they were tested by the winds.

During this time, firefighters worked diligently to ensure the integrity of the containment lines on the north side of the mountain. They closely monitored the wind speed, direction, and gust to assess how the lines held up under these conditions.

Reinforcing containment lines and closely monitoring wind conditions are essential components of wildfire management. These actions help mitigate the risk of the fire spreading beyond the lines and provide valuable information about future firefighting strategies.

To take advantage of positive wind conditions, firefighters will be starting operations tomorrow at 7am. The fire is still burning within the unit and sending up smoke; at times visible from Highway 74. Crews will be monitoring and working throughout the evening.

#PrescribedBurn #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #thomasmountainprescribedburn

Inyo National Forest issues new road closures for June 15

Date(s): Jun 15, 2023

The following roads will be closed via Forest Closure Order from June 15 - September 30, 2023 (read the full NEWS RELEASE):

White Mountain Ranger District

• Forest Road 6S02 (Silver Canyon Road, closed at Forest boundary)
• Forest Road 6S01 (Wyman Canyon Road, closed at Forest boundary)
• Forest Road 7S10 (Coyote Flat/Valley Road from Bishop, closed just past kiosk)
• Forest Road 9S19 (Coyote Flat from Big Pine)
• Forest Roads 32E311, 32E303, 32E307, 32E302, 32E303 (area west of Warren Bench, accessible from Sugarloaf or Glacier Lodge Roads)
• Forest Road 7S01/7S15 (Buttermilk Loop is closed at Horton Lakes Trailhead junction at 7S01A and 7S01, and at Highway 168 and 7S15)
• Forest Road 4S01 (White Mountain Road, closed where road turns to dirt just past Schulman Grove Visitor Center)

Mono Lake Ranger District

• Forest Road 1S23 (Walker Lake Trailhead)
• Forest Road 1N106 (Bohler Canyon Road)
• Forest Road 1N16 (Horse Meadow Road)
• Forest Road 01S131 (At the junction of Bald Mountain Road and the junction of 01S70)
• Forest Road 01S131A (At the junction of Bald Mountain Road)
• Forest Road 01S131B (At the junction of Bald Mountain Road)

Maps for these roads are available on the Inyo National Forest’s Motor Vehicle Use Maps (www.fs.usda.gov/goto/inyo/maps-pubs/mvum), however separate detailed and specific maps for Coyote Flats and Silver/Wyman Canyons are available on the website: “Alerts and Notices.”

All Forest Closures

WEATHER & CURRENT CONDITIONS UPDATE FOR JUNE 20, 2023

• There is still a lot of snow in the high country, especially above 10,000 ft.
• Cooler weather will continue this week and into the weekend.
• Weather predictions provide strong confidence there will be significant warmer temperatures starting the second half of next week.
• July 1 through July 5 is when we could start to see our first 100-degree days.
• This hot and dry pattern is expected to continue throughout the month of July.
• This period of time will be the greatest concern for peak snow melt flows and flooding impacts.
• NWS-Reno Office has issued a flood advisory for this area: Reno, NV (weather.gov)

This is a brief operational update on the Stanislaus National Forest Prescribed Fire Projects for the evening of June 20, 2023. 

Burning was completed on approximately 300 acres on the Stanislaus National Forest Rx Burn Projects today. In the Strawberry Rx Burn Project, unit CL4 was completed. In the Dry Meadow Rx Burn Project, units DM81, DM77 and DM 74 were completed.  

Weather conditions look to be similar with favorable prescribed burning conditions tomorrow. Temperatures will be up 3-6 degrees, with similar winds and humidity levels to today.

Fire managers are looking to work primarily in the Strawberry Rx Burn Project Area, and are considering units S07, S08, WS4 and WS5. There will be a soft closure of Old Crabtree Road from 108 to the intersection of 4N26 and 4N11. This closure will only take place while there is active burning close to Old Crabtree Road.

There are a total of 420 firefighters working on these Rx Project areas. To date, a total of 3,067 acres of prescribed burning has occurred in this area of the forest.

Tusayan, Arizona, June 20, 2023 — Crews continue to work on the lightning-caused Hull and Ridge Fires on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

The Ridge Fire, located approximately 7 miles southeast of Tusayan along forest road 302 near Skinner Tank, is currently 894 acres burning in ponderosa pine forest, and is moving south along Skinner Ridge.

The Hull Fire, located near Lower Hull Tank along the Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park boundary just northeast of the Grand View Lookout and east of Grandview Point, is currently at 941 acres burning in ponderosa pine forest, it is spreading north, and is being co-managed with Grand Canyon National Park.

Both fires are in and surrounded by areas which have been treated with fire. This, coupled with unseasonably green grass, cooler temperatures, and precipitation, have limited the spread of both fires.

Due to Monday’s wind advisory, with gusts over 40 mph, tactical firing operations were not conducted. Winds are forecast to decrease yet remain breezy through the week. An incident meteorologist is assigned to both fires and provides fire managers with area-specific forecasts. Crews continue to identify and improve protections around infrastructure and the perimeters of the planning areas within which the fires may burn. 133 personnel are currently assigned to these incidents.

Using naturally-caused wildfires to help improve forest health aligns with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy which aims to increase the use of fire on the landscape as well as other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come. Visit InciWeb pages to learn how fire crews are managing the Hull and Ridge fires to serve their natural role in the ecosystem.

Additional information can be found on the Kaibab NF website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, or by calling the Fire Information Hotline (recording) at 928-635-8311 or local ranger stations.